1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to blenders for admixing solids and liquids to form slurries, suspensions and the like. In a particular aspect, this invention relates to a portable paint and bedding blender that achieves surprisingly improved results, even when blending on the job and as compared with the prior art apparatus for mixing at a central location.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
There has been a continuing need for blenders for admixing a plurality of widely varying mixtures, such as slurries, suspensions and the like. Typical of the widely varying types of ingredients that require mixing of the solids in a liquid are taping mud, bedding materials, Textone, Bondex, block filler, tile grout, inside paints, ready-mix muds, lead and oil paints, outside paints, water paints, and color stains. As will be appreciated, the viscosity of the ingredients vary widely from the very low viscosity color stains to the very high viscosity taping mud and tile grout. The prior art showed a variety of single and multiple blade mixers and shakers. The mixers that have been available for on the job use have tended to mix only the central portion of the materials, leaving a large portion of the solids unmixed, and have tended to throw the materials out of the mixing containers. The shakers were disadvantageous in that the material had to be taken to the central location where the shaker was located and the solids tended to settle out before they could be again brought to the job. Moreover, the shakers were not totally satisfactory for the more viscous materials, frequently leaving a large portion of the solids unmixed.
Accordingly, it can be seen that the prior art has failed to provide a totally satisfactory blender for mixing solids in a liquid. In particular, the prior art has failed to provide a mixer that can be employed on the job for mixing in available containers, ranging from 1 and 5 gallon buckets through 10 gallon, fifteen gallon containers to twenty gallon barrels or the like, without throwing the material from the container in which it is being mixed.